TWO SOULS: INTO THE FIRE … # 102

When they picked up the pictures, the photo clerk looked at them funny. He’d seen the strange pictures that developed. Ghost just smiled at him, but didn’t explain.

At the diner, they ordered their pizza, then sat in a booth while they waited for it to be ready. Looking through the pictures, Ghost said, “These all turned out good.” He handed them over to Steve. He flipped through them all, but was frowning. He kept looking closer.

“Ghost, there’s something weird about these graveyard ones. Look…what’s that? These people in here, they weren’t there when we were there. And, this one’s got a blob of something on it. Ya sure your camera was working right?”

“Let me see.” Ghost looked at them again. “I don’t see anything weird. This is exactly what I took a picture of…I remember.”

“This…this with the weird people and the blobs?” Steve asked again.

“Yeah, sure.”

“You saw people and blobs out there? I didn’t see anything at all like that,” Steve said.

Ghost grinned, “Oh, those are the spirits, Steve. The ones I was talking to…at all these places. I guess you couldn’t see them? Huh, I guess the camera could, and I could, but not you? That’s weird.”

“No, what’s weird is you can see them. Is this what you actually see, like all the time?”

Ghost shrugged. “Well, I saw these ones, and I can see others, all the time, but only if I want to. I can block it out most of the time, like now.” He looked over behind Steve. “But, if I unblock it, I can see them everywhere. Like over behind you…there’s two blobs, one orange and one green. They’re just saying hi to me.” Ghost waved at them.

Steve whirled around, hoping to catch sight of one of the bobbing spirits, but of course he couldn’t. “There’s nothing there, Ghost. You gotta be pulling my leg.”

“Well, they’re gone now..you scared them away,” Ghost said.

“How can you live like this, Ghost? Seeing spirits, hearing voices? I’d have been in the looney bin years ago, if that happened to me.”

Ghost laughed. “Guess I’m used to it, and guess you already live in the looney bin, living with me.”

“Yeah, guess I do,” Steve laughed.

Their order was ready, and they headed home.

~

Zach and Trevor were getting ready to go into town, when Zach’s phone rang. He’d slowly gotten back into his obsession with electronics. He had a cell phone and computer again. Trevor had made him promise to never break into accounts and switch things around, ever again. But, he was still tempted. He did fire off a few bogus newspaper items…just for fun, and to let Eddy know he was ok. He knew she still looked for them. He knew she’d loved him, and still did. But, after all that had gone down, it just wasn’t going to happen the way she’d wanted it to.

Even now, after he and Trevor had exiled themselves down in Jamaica for all that time, he was still jumpy, every time the phone rang. He knew the time had run out for the FBI to prosecute him, but he didn’t know if they could somehow re-open the case.

So, he let the phone ring. “You gonna get that?” Trevor asked.

“No…they’ll leave a message, I guess,” Zach said.

“Ok…well, you ready to go? We could get some pizza or something, then go by and see Kinsey, and see if he’s heard anything about Nothing,” Trevor said.

“Yeah, let’s go.” Zach heard the phone beep with a voice-mail message. “See, a message,” he said. He listened for a minute. “That was Kinsey. He wants us to come in on Saturday to do our show, and something about Steve and Ghost getting cancelled.”

“Wonder what that’s about?” Trevor asked, as he pulled into the diner’s parking lot.

“Don’t know,” Zach shrugged, “but, we’ll find out when we get over there.”

They ordered their pizza, and waited at a table. “Wonder if Kinsey called Terry and R.J. and Calvin? I mean, if we’re playing Saturday,” Zach said. “It’s weird that Nothing isn’t booking it, ya know?” he thought for a minute. “I still think they’re involved, somehow, don’t you?”

Trevor looked up, “Hmm? What…who’s involved?” He’d been drawing in his small notepad.

“Dude…Steve and Ghost. I think they’re involved in Nothing’s disappearance.”

“Oh, that. I’m sorry, Zach. I love to hear you sing, and glad you’re having fun in the band, but all this other stuff…I just don’t get into it like you do.”

“Yeah, I know, but don’t it bother you, that a person is just gone?”

“Not really…I didn’t like him much, anyway. He probably just took off with y’all’s money, and will never be heard from again. You can do all that manager stuff, anyway, like you said,” Trevor said.

“I know. I’m trying something different. I think I’ve got all that settled…at least most of it. I can’t keep drawing the same stuff as my dad did, over and over. It’s been done too many times, already,” Trevor sighed.

Zach frowned, “But, what about the house? Is it finished with it? What if it tears up this new stuff…what if it gets mad, and tries to kill us again?”

“Guess we’ll just have to wait to find out. Ya up for it, Zach”

“There’s just two things I’m not up for, ever again…coffee and mushrooms. Anything else I can deal with…with you, if you still want me to.”

“Oh, God, Trevor….I don’t think I can wait. Is there someplace…I mean…” he swallowed hard, as his eyes searched the room.

Trevor squeezed Zach’s hand. “I have an idea,” he said. “Come find me in a few minutes, ok?” He got up, heading down the far hallway, towards the men’s room.

Zach sat there a few minutes, trying to look normal, his thoughts racing. Everyone will know, he thought, as he scanned the room. At this time in the afternoon, though, there were only a few other customers…an older man, reading a newspaper…a mother, with two small children keeping her occupied…and two teen girls, probably skipping class, trying on make-up at their table.

Zach eased out of the booth, and straightened his shirt, and tugged at his jeans. Damn, these jeans are getting tight, he thought, then noticed the bulge in front. Oh, God, I’ve got to walk across this room..please, nobody notice…please… He did make it to the hallway, but didn’t see the older man glancing up at him…smiling, and nodding.

Zach reached the men’s room, and knocked. “Trev…are you in there?” he whispered through the edge of the door frame. He heard the lock being opened, and Trevor opened the door, pulling him inside. He hugged Zach, and reached around to lock the door again.

Trevor had already stripped his clothes off. Zach ran his hands over Trevor’s body, and through his long hair, letting Trevor remove his clothes. They were not aware of anything else, but each other. They were not aware that their moans and cries of pleasure were carried out into the restaurant, although muffled.

~

Now sweaty and relaxed, they rested a few minutes, sharing after kisses. Then, after refreshing themselves with wet paper towels, they came out of the room and into the main dining area, holding hands, not caring at all, now, who was looking.

The woman and her kids had already left. The teen girls looked up and giggled, as Trevor and Zach passed by. The older man smiled at them, saying ‘good for you’, as they continued to their table. They couldn’t stop smiling at each other. Their pizza was waiting for them, and they dug in…they were starving, now.

This is a work of “fan fiction” based on the novel, “Lost Souls” by Poppy Z. Brite. All credit for the original characters, places, and some backstory mentions, belong to Ms. Brite and her publishing affiliates. Only newly introduced characters, places, and original elements of this story are entirely from my imagination. Character descriptions are a blend of the original book descriptions and my interpretation of them.

All songs included in this work will be solely owned by the original performers/writers and will be credited. Creative liscense is taken in including them in this story.

No harm is intended toward author, muscians, or people and situations to whom there may be a resemblence.

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The content herein is rated by me as being at the high end of MA (Mature Audience). It includes strong language, violence, sexual themes, including same sex pairings, religious themes, and fantasy horror.